Black Feathers
by MPowers
Summary: Abburis lived her life hiding something that she shouldn't have to hide, but an over controlling government and certain circumstances forbade her from trusting anyone, even her own family...
1. Prolgue

Prologue

_I stood there in line waiting my turn, outside the small square building. Just a think wooden, carved, door, stood between that room and me. I looked back to the boy behind me. He smiled nervously at me, pulling his fingernail from his teeth._  
><em>"Can't be that bad... My brother says it only hurts for a few days." He tried to smile again but it came out more as a grimace.<em>  
><em>I nodded and looked around, the crowd watching me. I turned my head to look over my shoulder to ware my parents stood among the people. I turned my face back to the boy.<em>  
><em>"I-I hope your brother is right." <em>  
><em>A scream came from the building. <em>  
><em>Our heads whipped around to look over the to the door.<em>  
><em>"Yeah," he nodded. <em>  
><em>The door open slowly as a sniffing girl, who I think lived down the street from me. She smiled through her tears. The crowd about us cheered.<em>  
><em>"And now we welcome another child who now has come of age to our community." The tall man smiled, his white teeth flashing. The girl walked timidly up the stone steps the platform to were the man stood. He combed back his jet black hair with his perfectly tanned hand.<em>  
><em>"Now that you are of age, what will be your new name?" As he smiled the skin around his eyes crinkled.<em>  
><em>She only came up to just below his shoulder, as he put his arm around her shoulders. Slowly stepped up the podium using the stool placed there. The girl leaned over the open book and turned a few pages. Then she pointed.<em>  
><em>The man stared over her shoulder, to glance where she was pointing.<em>  
><em>"And it looks like he new name will be... Malanie!" He shouted from the platform opening his arms wide open.<em>  
><em>Malanie stepped down from the stool.<em>  
><em>"Alright, let's keep things moving, next!" the man called out. <em>  
><em>"Good luck in there," the boy whispered from behind me.<em>  
><em>I nodded, "Thanks." Then I pushed open the door.<em>  
><em>The huge door swung open silently, as I pressed my hand on the center. I walked in quickly, trying not to show my fear. A young man was leaning against and sturdy table, his face slightly unshaven and hidden by shadow.<em>  
><em>"Come in," he smiled kindly. "Close the door behind you, there in no need to be afraid."<em>  
><em>I closed the door, and waited.<em>  
><em>"Come closer."<em>  
><em>I took a step nearer.<em>  
><em>"Alright then, show them."<em>  
><em>I began to unbutton my sweater, and then I tossed it over to the table. The young man approached me, stepping in the light of the fire in the hearth.<em>  
><em>"Johnis?" I asked, leaning in closer to see his face.<em>  
><em>He squinted his blue eyes staring at my face.<em>  
><em>"It me Abburis, your little cousin. Argoth's and Murasis' daughter..."<em>  
><em>"Oh yeah... Wow, you've grown up." He rubbed his forehead. "Wow," he repeated. "Thirteen already?"<em>  
><em>"Well," I said, "Almost."<em>  
><em>He nodded, "Right of course."<em>  
><em>We stood there in silence, for a moment neither of us saying anything.<em>  
><em>I broke the silence. "Let's get this over with."<em>  
><em>Johnis walked around to my back pulling some sort of metal contraption from the table. I pulled my black braid from over my shoulder, clasping it tightly in anticipation of the pain. I felt the cold metal rest against my back, as he placed it on the tips of my shoulder blades, just above the low back of my tank-top.<em>  
><em>But it never came.<em>  
><em>I felt the contraption leave my back as Johnis let out an exasperated sigh.<em>  
><em>I turned my head to look at him, but he had stepped back into the shadows.<em>  
><em>"What is it?" I asked concerned.<em>  
><em>He began to speak, but not to me. "Why," He said. "Why did I get picked for this job?" he whispered. He looked up from the tool in his hands.<em>  
><em>"I can't do it. I can't cause someone that I know pain. Not someone who saved my brother."<em>  
><em>I just stared at him, wondering what he couldn't do. <em>  
><em>"Just-just go Abburis. Tell everyone that I didn't it. Tell them now that you are of age." He said quickly, the words almost falling out of his mouth. He walked over and place the tool on the table next to my sweater.<em>  
><em>He placed his hands on my shoulders, looking down into my eyes. "Never speak of this moment again, ever. Promise me that, please."<em>  
><em>I looked up into his face, and I knew that I couldn't say no. "Yes," I whispered.<em>  
><em>Johnis reached out towards the table and grabbed my sweater, handing it to me.<em>  
><em>"Now go."<em>  
><em>I reached for the door handle as he let go of my shoulders. I was about to leave when an odd idea came to me.<em>  
><em>"Can you... Can you do the same thing you did for me as for the boy who will be next?" I asked, but I myself wasn't sure why.<em>  
><em>I didn't even know the boy's name, but still it felt right to ask for the same thing for him as well.<em>  
><em>Johnis frowned then nodded.<em>  
><em>I turned back to the door and shoved it open, and stepped out into the light, breaking the tradition of a thousand years.<em>


	2. Chapter 1

I pulled my shirt up higher on my back.  
>"Abburis."<br>I turnned my head away from the mirror to which I had my back turned to.  
>"Abburis!"<br>I ran over to my desk to where my sweater was hanging off of it.  
>"ABBURIS!"<br>Quickly I pulled it over myhead, and ran to the door. It swung open just as I put my hand on the door knob.  
>"Abb- ah there you are. What were you doing up here did you hear me calling you?"<br>"I was... I was getting dressed."  
>My mother nodded slowly. "I thought you might be out on the roof again... But anyways it's time to go."<br>I nodded.  
>She grabbed my arm as if she was trying to keep me from 'disappearing' or something. "Your sisters are counting on you to be there for you, and you're waisting time looking pretty." She shook her head.<br>We were now walking down the front steps of the apartment building, making our way across the street. "You know that they were there for you three years ago, the least you can do for them is at least be there for them.  
>I nodded again, pulling my arm away.<br>I could see the crowds gathering at the base of the stone platform. Sliding through the people, I slowly made my way to the front of the crowd to where my sisters could see me.  
>One of them waved to me, bu from where I stood I couldn't tell which one it was.<br>Time seamed to pass so slowly as I watched one by one the children filling in. Soon it would be my sister's turn.  
>"Excuse me miss," A police officer began walking up to me. "Would you by any chance be Abburis, daughter of Argoth?"<br>I nodded my head.  
>"Would you please come this way? I just want to ask you a few questions." He smiled politely.<br>"Well... Could it wait, my sisters are just about to go..."  
>"It'll only take a minute."<br>"Alright," I sighed nodding my head slowly, taking one last glace back at my sisters.  
>He linked his arm around mine, gently pulling me away. I fallowed, wondering what this would be about.<br>I hadn't broken the law lately, unless being late for classes counted. We continued walking through the crowds. He lead me through the streets, turning off into an ally way.  
>"Aren't you going to take me to your station?" I asked. Normaly a police officer would take someone for questioning down to their station.<br>"Just here will be fine." He smiled again, backing me deeper into the ally.  
>"Okay..." I said, slowly walking back wards. "Let's just get this over with, my family is expecting me."<br>"Like I said, only a minute. Would you for me think back three years? To your own naming day?"  
>I nodded slowly, wondering what he was getting at.<br>"Do you remember the coming of age process?"  
>I nodded again.<br>"Do by any chance, remember, who changed you?"  
>"No," I said quickly, remembering my promise, to Johnis. "I-I didn't get to see his face clearly, even if I did I wouldn't expect to remember what he looked like. Why?"<br>"We're questioning all that received their name on that day. May I see your back?"  
>I froze. "And why would you want to do that?"<br>The police officer reached for the sword at his belt. "Please, no time for questions, just let me see your back now miss."  
>"No, no I can't let you do that, it's just, it's just..." My back was now pressed again the stone wall.<br>Something moved at the beginning of the ally. I peeked over the officer's shoulder. A boy, about my age, with short red hair, sneaking towards us.  
>I looked back to the officer, his blade was now drawn.<br>"Please, miss, just one quick look and I'll be all done." He was saying .  
>I shook my head.<br>The red haired was closer now, a knife glinting in his hand. He was just an arm reach away from the police man.  
>The police officer fallowed my gaze to the boy.<br>"Now what do we have-." He turned fully to face the boy, noticing his blade, clutched between his fingers. "Wait civilians aren't allowed to carry weapons-"  
>The red haired boy jumped the man, his arm wrapping around his neck.<br>I stood there watching them.  
>"You! What are you doing? Run! Just keep going. Don't just stand there!" He shouted.<br>I ran towards the street. I stopped, looking back to where the pare were still fighting. The boy had been shaken off the police officer. He crumpled to the ground, he recovered quickly, jumping to his feet, running towards me.  
>I tuned my attention back to street. The officer was now shouting, "You two stop!"<br>Some one grabbed my hand, I spun around to see the red headed boy.  
>"I told you to run," He complained, jerking me forward.<br>We sprinted down the street, the police officer only a few steps behind us.  
>"This way!" The red headed boy pulled me down another street.<br>"Do you know where you're going?" I asked.  
>"Anywhere but here."<br>The police man was still behind us.  
>"Quick in here," he jerked me again, this time into a building.<br>"Where are we?"  
>"Shhh... He still looking for us out there." The boy pushed my down the the floor, opening a closet door. We shuffled in, closing the door behind us.<br>"Now what?" I whispered, leaning my back against the cold stone wall.  
>"We wait." He began to tap his fingers on the floor, making tiny tapping sounds. "So, what's your name?"<br>"Abburis, yours?"  
>"Nurago." He nodded slowly.<br>"Do you know why they want me?"  
>"Same reason they want me."<br>"But, why now?"

"Because of these." He reached his hand behind his back, and pull out a gray feather. "And if I'm right, you have them too."


End file.
